The graceful, elegant, and instantly recognizable Filipino terno takes center stage in a new exhibition that honors both a style icon and the cultural heritage it embodies.
“Magsaysay as Muse: Luz Banzon Magsaysay and the Terno as Cultural Identity,” the exhibit opened on February 12 at the Magsaysay Laureate Library and Museum along Roxas Boulevard, Manila, and will run until March 27. This six-week educational exhibit is a collaboration between the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) and De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (DLSU-CSB) through its Benilde Fashion Museum (BFM), a hub dedicated to preserving and showcasing Philippine fashion heritage.
(Photos: Yoniel Acebuche)
Bolstering support for the initiative, DLSU-CSB President Br. Edmundo Fernandez, FSC, said in an official statement, “Grounded in its long engagement with fashion, design, and cultural education, De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde upholds the responsibility of preserving Filipino creative heritage.”
He added, “The Benilde Fashion Museum and this exhibition reflect our shared responsibility to preserve and reintroduce Filipino cultural heritage to present and future generations. Through the terno and the legacy of Luz Banzon Magsaysay, we honor a form of creative expression that embodies national identity, discipline, and dignity — values that remain deeply relevant today.”
At the heart of the exhibition are eight exquisite ternos once worn by Luz Banzon Magsaysay, wife of the late Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. Seven pieces come from her personal wardrobe, generously donated by her daughter, Mila Magsaysay Valenzuela, while one comes from RMAF’s archives.
Five were designed by National Artist Ramon Valera, celebrated for modernizing the traditional multi-part baro’t saya into single-piece ternos using zippers, blending elegance with practicality. Two pieces by Aureo Alonzo highlight intricate embellishments and innovative fabric manipulation, showcasing the terno as both an art form and a cultural statement. Completing the collection is a campaign terno that captures a pivotal moment in Philippine political and sartorial history.
Ternos does something to the women
Speaking to adobo Magazine, BFM Director and the show’s curator, Ar. Gerry Torres, said the terno’s significance begins with how it makes the wearer feel.
“It’s very flattering. It does something to the women, the way the body can adjust to whatever shape. The butterfly sleeves give it a unique identity — even from afar, this is distinctly Filipino,” Gerry said.
He continued, “It’s a reflection of what our country is in terms of the cultures that have gone through it… Valera did something Southeast Asian; the other designs are very Western, yet it’s still Filipino. It’s a good symbol of our country’s history and culture.”
(Photos: Yoniel Acebuche)
The exhibition situates Banzon Magsaysay’s wardrobe within this broader narrative. Her choice to wear a Valera terno during the 1953 inauguration of President Magsaysay marked a symbolic embrace of Filipino-designed garments on the national stage, paired with her husband’s barong as a showcase of local sartorial excellence.
For Gerry, the collaboration between the First Lady and Valera elevated the terno’s significance at the time.
“Miss Magsaysay, in partnership with Valera, was able to create designs that are timeless, giving identity, pride, and aspiration to a nation that had just emerged from the war.”
Likewise, Gerry noted that the terno’s enduring relevance lies in its unique balance of structure and flexibility, offering designers a framework while inviting creativity.
“The versatility of the terno lent itself to any period. The butterfly sleeves are the framework, but in between, you’re free to do anything. Filipino designers explored it in many ways. It allows artistic freedom and creativity, but it’s framed by the sleeves,” he explained, highlighting that adaptability ensures the terno remains present in contemporary fashion, from pageants to major cultural and political events.
“Even now, it has not exhausted the possibilities of what a good designer can do… in all fashion shows, there’s always a terno at the finale.”
Ultimately, “Magsaysay as Muse” invites the public to experience Filipino artistry firsthand by exploring how a single garment, such as the terno, serves as a living symbol of identity, heritage, and national pride. Through Luz Banzon Magsaysay’s iconic wardrobe and the vision of Filipino designers, visitors can witness how fashion embodies the nation’s history, culture, and enduring spirit.
(Photos: Yoniel Acebuche)
“We hope to show examples of how the terno has been manipulated and altered over the years, so younger designers can see the actual examples and create their own interpretations. The terno is timeless, enduring, and endlessly inspiring.” Gerry concluded.
Magsaysay as Muse: Luz Banzon Magsaysay and the Terno as Cultural Identity will run until March 27 at the Magsaysay Laureate Library and Museum, Ramon Magsaysay Center, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
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